Classified France' 44 - Demo Review

If you enjoy turn-based tactical strategy games like XCOM, Desperados III, or Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus but find their settings unappealing, then Classified: France ’44 might be just what you’re looking for. Set during World War II, specifically in Nazi-occupied France just before D-Day, this game focuses on a covert operations story. Players lead an elite Allied special operations team conducting infiltration, sabotage, and strategic strikes behind enemy lines.

Classified: France ’44 was reviewed on PC.

If you’re looking to engage in turn-based combat during WWII, this game is for you.

Developed by Absolutely Games and published by Team17, Classified: France ’44 is a turn-based tactical strategy game that immerses players in one of the most critical periods of World War II. It’s available across major platforms including Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox Store, and PlayStation Store, making it accessible to a wide range of players and a great choice for those who game across multiple platforms.

If you’ve spent countless hours in XCOM 2 and are craving a fresh experience, Classified: France ’44 might be exactly what you need. Maybe you’re no longer thrilled by intergalactic firefights or desert duels in Desperados III—this game offers a grounded, historical atmosphere with new depth. It challenges your strategic thinking in both stealth-based missions and full-on firefights, delivering a tense and thoughtful experience.

For players familiar with the turn-based combat style of the XCOM series, this game will feel comfortably familiar—but it introduces additional layers of complexity and decision-making. Instead of aliens, you’re up against Nazis, with wartime pressure and morale management adding entirely new strategic dimensions. Troop morale plays a major role in battle success, and you’ll quickly realize that every move needs to be carefully considered.

Mechanics

In addition to health, the game features a morale system that influences everything from aiming accuracy to whether your soldiers flee from battle. Morale can drop not just when taking hits, but even when bullets narrowly miss your soldiers. This adds constant tension to every encounter. You can increase morale using a drumbeat mechanic, which boosts morale but doesn’t restore health. Maintaining high morale is crucial for survival on extended missions—and recovering it mid-battle can turn the tide of combat.

Ammo conservation is also key. Running out at the wrong time can force a reload at a critical moment. You have several combat options: aiming and shooting, overwatch, hip fire, and melee (knife) attacks. Each method is suited for different situations—aimed shots for long range, overwatch for anticipating enemy moves, hip fire for fast close-quarters response (though it’s less accurate), and knife attacks for silent takedowns or surprise encounters.

Mission Types

The game features three mission types: Assault, Ambush, and Stealth.

• Assault missions are direct, aggressive attacks requiring you to push through enemy lines head-on.

• Ambush missions require careful planning and surprise attacks. However, each kill increases your Ambush Meter, gradually exposing your squad’s position.

• Stealth missions focus entirely on silent movement and avoiding detection. Unlike Ambush missions, there’s no Ambush Meter here—but mistakes are costly and often unforgiving.

Each mission type allows for diverse strategic planning and caters to different playstyles. You’ll need to adapt your equipment and team configuration accordingly.

Home Base – “Our Home is France, Our Homeland is Paris”

The game features a basecamp, which serves as a central hub where players can change their characters’ equipment, assign new abilities upon leveling up, and boost morale through motivational speeches. It provides a crucial space for players to strategically manage both gear and skills. You can change each character’s gear here, allowing you to acquire new weapons or armor that make them more effective against enemies. As characters level up, they gain new abilities that can be tailored to suit your playstyle.

The skill tree adds further depth to the game’s mechanics. It includes two types of abilities: active and passive. Passive abilities are always in effect, while active abilities become available depending on the actions you take during gameplay.

For example, a “Sniper” ability in the skill tree enhances a character’s long-range precision, while a “Tactical Commando” ability makes them more effective in close-quarters combat. This variety offers players flexibility in developing characters that align with their tactical preferences.

Players can also change equipment, appearances, and codenames. However, if a character is a sniper, you cannot reassign them to a different class—they remain a sniper. While the appearance customization is not highly detailed, it’s adequate and satisfying for the scope of this game.

In this sense, the basecamp is not just a hub, but a vital part of the preparation phase—empowering your squad, increasing efficiency, and ensuring mission success. Overall, the basecamp offers players a deep strategic layer through character development, morale support, and customization options that can directly impact the course of the war—or simply serve as cosmetic enhancements.

Evaluation

If you love military games that demand strategic thinking and tactical decision-making, Classified: France ’44 might be exactly what you’re looking for. It doesn’t just throw you into battle; it tests your ability to plan, adapt, and react under pressure. Every move matters, and the psychological toll of war is ever-present. The morale system, soldier conditions, and battlefield dynamics all contribute to a deeply immersive experience.

If you’ve grown tired of cookie-cutter strategy games and want something fresh, don’t overlook the atmosphere of Classified: France ’44. It invites you to experience not just the battles, but also the burden and complexity of war. It appeals to both strategy lovers and history buffs with its authentic setting.

One standout feature is the variety of mission types. Whether it’s the brute force of Assault, the patience of Ambush, or the nerves of steel required for Stealth, each mission demands a unique approach, keeping gameplay engaging and varied.

Customization is another strength. You can enhance your characters’ skills, gear, and morale to better withstand the harsh realities of combat. Every customizable element influences gameplay and deepens your strategic involvement, making survival both a challenge and a reward.

Final Verdict:

If you’re seeking a realistic war experience and enjoy deep, tactical gameplay, Classified: France ’44 is well worth checking out. With intense combat, morale management, gear and skill progression, this game will challenge both your mind and emotions. If you’re ready for that kind of experience, Classified: France ’44 awaits.